J.Crew Collection: Owen hobo

Owen hobo
Click here for product page
Item 95601
Regular: $395.00

Let me start off by saying that I think this bag is gorgeous. Love, love, love it! :) Luckily for us, Nicole R. not only purchased this (beautiful) bag, but also shared with us her opinion/review. I thought it was worth making its own post, (because I really like the purse!)

The following is a portion of her quote from her post (in the "What do you pay full retail for?" post) :

Ladies and Gents--it came in the mail and it is WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!! ...It is made by Borge Garveri who makes the Birkin bag for Hermes (I also have the Uptown bag and I had done research on Borge). The leather is buttery soft and incredible quality. I had been eying the YSL Mombasa Bag with the horn handle and YSL wanted $1200! Compared to the plastic LV, YSL, Kate Spade bags in the $300-500 range you are getting a great deal.

The CSR told me that it was an beautiful in person and only 60 were made in each color. I purchased the pumpkim-brown color since I felt that it worked best with what I have in my closet. Even if I did not have the PRIVATE 20%--- I most definitely would have bought it. It does come with a duster bag and carelfully double wrapped in plastic when shipped.

If you own the Owen Hobo, please share with us your experience. We would love to know more! And again: thank you to "Nicole R." for sharing with us your experience! :)

Product Review: Campo Bag

Campo Bag
Click here for product page
Item 16996
Regular: $298.00

This bag looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g! A big "thanks!" goes to jessie b. & audball (both from this post) who shared with us their take on this lovely bag.

The following is jessie b.'s take on this bag:
Oooh - just received my Campo bag. This was major lust at first sight on the web and is now love at first sight in person. The leather is that wonderful stuff that gets better with age, like your father's briefcase or classic Coach bags. I can't wait for this bag to get a few scratches and worn parts so it looks "lived in". I bought the burnt sienna color and could not be more pleased.

The shape is very balanced. Best of all, because of the conservative strap length, I can wear this on my shoulder, as a tote (will not hang down too far) or over my elbow. Size-wise, this bag is the right size for me. I know there has been some discussion on that matter, but personally do not find it huge. However, because of the shape and the stiffer leather, it might be overwhelming to others. It is almost exactly the same size as my Uptown tote, but with the stiffer leather, has more presence.

J.Crew went compartment crazy on this bag! There is a big pocket on the front with a pleat and another without the pleat on the back. Both have magnetic closures. There are smaller pockets on the outside ends of the bag too. All of these are visible on the web picture. Inside, there are two large pockets on either side of the bag. Built into those are places for your cell phone and PDA. The other side has a small zipper pouch. There are four little metal feet on the bottom.

The only thing I do not like about this bag is that leather smell. You know, the one that hits you over the head when you walk past Wilson's Leather in the mall. However, from past experiences, I know that will lessen with time. This bag is beautifully styled but not at all trendy. It is quite a classic shape and size actually and I can see myself using it for many years.

I do have one long-term concern. The possibility of the gold-tone from the hardware rubbing off does worry me somewhat. I think the metal from the Jamie or Owen Hobo might have been better. However, this bag was less expensive than either of those. Very pleased with this purchase. Not quite good as a summer bag though, so will be packed away until September. Hope this mini-review helps anyone who was on the fence.

...I did pull out my tape measure to get some real-life measurements. From the outside tip of one end pocket to the other is 15". From the top of the handle to the bottom of the bag is 17". Fully stuffed with tissue(from J. Crew), the bag is 7.5" deep. The only measurement that changed with unstuffing is the depth. When you take the stuffing out, the bag does not collapse much. Lastly, I find the end to end measurement somewhat misleading, because of how the end pockets are situated on the bag. Hope this helps.


The following is audball's take on this bag:
Incidentally, OT, I received my Campo Bag and mini-review: Got the bag today and it's going right bag to my local b&m...it's far larger than I imagined. Corry was right on the money. While the dimensions are 11"H x 11.4"W, they took the 11" width measurement right at the base of the bag. The side pockets and stiffer vachetta leather make the actual dimensions of the bag, when laying flat, more like 11"H x 17" wide. The bag is lined. The handle drop is nice (about 8") and while the bag stiffness isn't so great for the bag portion, it's great for the handles, as it makes the drop (length) very roomy and comfortable...

The leather came with quite a few marks on it already, just from banging around in the box. I'm sure that the intention is that the bag look well- worn and vintage-y over time, but I'm not sure I'm a vachetta leather gal. It's silky and smooth in that vachetta-leather way. It's stiffness makes the interior very spacious - there's tons of room for stuff and I picture this as the perfect "bucket"-type bag for summer (to take to the beach, vacations, etc.). However, I have small kids, so I can't have a bag that's too clunky on my shoulder, and unfortunately, with the boxy shape, this is what would happen. Nice pockets...ample room on the side pockets (though I would be afraid of a phone falling out), great exterior front and rear pockets and two interior pockets that run the length of the bag.

It's a shame that the bag is so large, because something even just a little smaller would be so ideal for summer for me.

"Thanks!" again to jessie b. & audball for their great reviews!

What are your thoughts on the Campo Bag? Are you considering or already have purchased this bag? Have you seen this bag in person? If so, please share with us your reviews too! :)

JGIC Product Review: Sole to Sole

A big "thanks!" to J.Crew Guy In Canada who is graciously reviewing Men's items from J.Crew with us. In this review, he looks at several shoes for men:

I've read in a recent GQ that men notice watches, women look at shoes.  I could add other things men and women may or may not look, but that would take the blog in a whole other direction.

Shoes can definitely be seen as an investment.  Goodyear welts, well made construction, top quality leather all adding up to shoes that can be worn for years and need to be due to the price.  Sometimes I want a cheaper shoe fix; something to switch up the usual choices in my footwear collection.  Suede shoes are more precious and not nearly as durable as leather and in my mind more of a fair weather choice.  This fall I added two to the shoe army I'm assembling, one form BR the other from J.Crew and here's how they stack up.

The Harington suede buck #64609 in rockface grey was a shoe I stalked for sometime before jumping off my wallet.  Luckily I scored a pair on sale along with an additional 30%.  The regular price was $206 for us in Canada, thankfully I ended up around $105.  Nice shoe, lighter greyish green colour.  Great shoe for denim, chinos and the like.  A comfortable buck sole that felt great right out of the box and fit true.

Our friends over at BR hooked me up with a blue suede number, called the Owen oxford in you got it "Elvis" navy suede.  (Okay I added in the Elvis bit.)  The regular price was $128, but with a discount they came to about $88.  Very similar look, fit and feel to the ones from J.Crew.  This makes me wonder if the 'crew shoes are just a 'little' over priced?  Neither pair is an investment and so a price around $100 was fine.  Sure I'd prefer a pair from Allen Edmunds or Alden, but at four to six times the price?

Suede shoes are a great option for a guy to have in his closet.  And lately I've seen a pair of chocolate suede wingtips, the Allerton #55753 on sale at J.Crew.  They maybe only a additional discount away from being on my feet.

Another fantastic review! "Thanks!" again to J.Crew Guy In Canada for his in-depth look at the footwear collection!
 
What are your thoughts on J.Crew's footwear for Men? Do you own any of their shoes? If so, please share with us your review. :)

Random: J.Crew Gingham Shirt Gets Own Instagram Account

"Thanks!" to many of you, including J.Crew Guy In Canada, Erin, as well as traderscoobies and JSR (in this post),  who let us know about the following random news: J.Crew's Gingham Shirt for Men has its very own Instagram account (click here).

If that is not random enough, this story is everywhere (including Time and GQ)! The following is from the Huffington Post (click here to read in its entirety):

This Is The 'Bacon Of Shirts'
By Jamie Feldman
August 21, 2014

There are some shirts so classic and timeless, they become staples in just about everyone's wardrobe. The J.Crew Gingham print button down is one of those shirts. Guys either have one or want one --and we all know someone who has worn one.

Need proof? You'll find it on this clever Instagram account, aptly called "thatjcrewginghamshirt." We chatted with the brains behind the sartorial operation Jonathan San about how he came up with the idea, why he thinks the shirt is so popular and of course, if he has one of his own.

So, do you own the shirt? If so, in what color?
Yep, in navy. Navy blue gingham is patient zero in my book.

How did you come up with the idea?
I probably first noticed how ubiquitous the shirt was last year. I remember going to a movie with one of my friends and we both ended up wearing that J. Crew gingham shirt. From then on, I started seeing that same shirt everywhere just walking around New York City. Then a few weeks ago I was watching "The Internship" and I saw Owen Wilson wearing it, and I was like "that shirt"! I saw someone wearing it in line at Pret A Manger the next day and knew that I had to make an Instagram.

Why that shirt?
Mostly because I see it everywhere and 90% of my friends own it. Honestly, when I walk around I see people wearing the shirt and those who are not. It's like seeing the world in black and white, except it's gingham and not-gingham. And if you don't own that J. Crew gingham shirt you're either lying or just seriously out of the loop. Go buy it.

Why do you think so many guys have it?
I would go with it being a "safe choice." Your dad can wear it, your taxi driver -- I recently was in a taxi with a driver wearing it -- can wear it, your boyfriend can wear it. It's the bacon of men's shirts, and who doesn't like bacon? Also, vegans and vegetarians are totally allowed to wear this shirt.

Where do you find most people wearing it?
I've seen them all just walking around New York -- I see at least one a day. Now a lot of my friends will see one and take a photo and text it to me. It's hilarious. I've seen I think three in one night, that might be the record so far, although now some people are tagging me in their own photos. I recently was tagged in one photo of a girl wearing it, which is the first. The first GingGirl...we're breaking through the glass ceiling for sure.

Has anyone ever confronted you about taking their photo? Have you had any issues?
Nobody's ever confronted me. I don't think anyone's ever noticed. You'd be surprised how close you can get to someone and take their photo and they have no idea. Plus it's all in good fun.. and everyone looks good in that shirt.

This is pretty funny! Quite honestly, the shirt is a classic staple and I can see its mass appeal. It is the type of shirt that looks great on anyone and everyone. Plus, it works well for almost any situation. Going to the office? Wear the Gingham Shirt. Going out with friends? Wear the Gingham Shirt. Dinner with the fiance? Wear the Gingham Shirt.

What would really be awesome??? If there was some sort of Meetup.com group for "wearers of That J.Crew Gingham Shirt". Then everyone meets up while wearing the shirt. ;)

What are your thoughts on the J.Crew Gingham Instagram account? If you could create another Instagram account for an item from J.Crew, which item would it be?